York Simcoe Nature Club is the steward of the Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve. The Club has held this responsibility since 2007 under various agreements with Ontario Nature, the owner of the land.
The Reserve is located between Bathurst and Dufferin streets just north of Miller Sideroad in the Township of King (see map below). This 108-hectare property was donated by Mrs. Julyan Mulock and the Cawthra Mulock Foundation to Ontario Nature in 2003 to ensure that the property would be protected in perpetuity. Ontario Nature owns the Reserve in fee simple and the Ontario Heritage Trust holds a conservation easement of the land.
The terrain within the Reserve is flat to undulating except for steeper banks on the northernmost watercourse which traverses the property. There is another watercourse toward the southeastern portion of the property. These watercourses, which flow perennially, are tributaries of the Holland River. There is a diversity of ecosites on the property. The dominant ecosites are mineral cultural meadow and Hemlock mixed forest with smaller areas of coniferous plantation, White Birch and Sugar Maple deciduous forest and open aquatic. There is a wetland in the southwestern portion of the property which is part of the Ansnorveldt wetland complex. A wide variety of plants, birds, animals and insects make this property home both seasonally and year round.
As stewards of the Reserve, York Simcoe Nature Club members have worked with Ontario Nature on many projects including the following: